New Student Guide to Technology

Welcome to Williams: Your Guide to Getting Started with Technology

Welcome, Class of 2030! The Office for Information Technology (OIT) is excited to have you join the Williams community. The following guide will help kick start your digital life at Williams so you’re ready to go for the start of fall semester.

We've broken this guide into three sections to help you at each stage of your arrival:

Before You Arrive: A summer checklist to ensure you're ready for campus.
Your First Week: Key tasks to complete once you're here.
Your Williams Journey: Ongoing support & tools available to you.

Part 1: Before You Arrive - Your Summer Tech Checklist

1. Activate Your Williams Account & Set Up Okta

Your Williams account is your key to everything, including access to email, class materials and the campus Wi-Fi.

Action: Follow the step-by-step instructions in the New Williams Account Set-Up section of our Williams Okta! page to set up your account. You'll be prompted to configure Okta Verify, our multi-factor security platform that keeps your account safe.
Note: You’ll need to have your smartphone (or security key) ready to set up Okta Verify.
How you'll know you're done: You can successfully log in and see your dashboard at sso.williams.edu.
Need help? Contact stchelp@williams.edu for further assistance.

2. Explore Your Digital Hubs: Canvas (formerly GLOW) and Google Workspace

Canvas (formerly GLOW): This is your online learning platform where you'll find course materials and assignments. Log in at canvas.williams.edu and look around (check out the Library Orientation course!). Your professors will provide more detailed guidance on how they use Canvas for their specific courses.
Google Workspace: This is your home for email, file storage, and collaboration. Your Williams account includes many apps, including some of the most well-known:
- Gmail: Your official college email.
- Drive: For storing and sharing your work. From Drive, you can create Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
- Gemini: Google’s AI product– your Williams account provides access to extended use and privacy protection.
- Meet: Video conferencing integrated directly into your Calendar and Gmail.

3. Decide What Tech You’re Bringing to Campus

While not required, most students find it practical to have a personal computer. If you need access to a computer, we have computer labs across campus. If you're considering a new purchase, we recommend Apple or Dell for their reliability:

Apple: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Purchase with an academic discount through the Apple Store for Education.
Dell: XPS 13, Inspiron 15 or 16 plus (with an Intel processor). Access academic discounts here.

If you bring a computer you already own, here are the recommended minimum specs:

Processor: Apple M3/M4 or Intel Core i3/i5/i7
RAM: 16GB or more
Storage: 512GB (or larger) Solid State Drive (SSD)

Along with the computer itself, we recommend the following peripherals:

Headphones/Earbuds with a built-in microphone
Webcam (unless already built in to your laptop)
External hard drive (for backup)

4. Update Your Devices

For security and performance, make sure your computer is running the latest operating system.

Windows OS: Go to Start menu > Settings > Update & Security or Windows Update.
Mac OS: Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.
Chrome/Firefox: Go to Help > About to update.

Part 2: Your First Week on Campus

Once you've arrived, here are the first two tech tasks to tackle:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi

Network Name: Eduroam
Instructions: Follow the simple steps in our Joining Eduroam (Wi-Fi) article.

2. Learn to Use Network Printers

Students use the PaperCut website to send documents to printers across campus. You will have a $50 printing credit for your first year, which is typically more than enough.

First Time Printing: Read our Web Print Instructions for a smooth start.
Troubleshooting: If you run into issues, check our PaperCut Troubleshooting guide.

Part 3: Your Williams Journey

Getting Technical Support

OIT is always here to help and can be reached in a variety of ways:

Email: Email stchelp@williams.edu to automatically create a support ticket.
Phone: Call us at 413-597-3088.
In-Person: You can visit the front desk of Jesup Hall weekdays, 8-5 PM, for any immediate tech needs. During class sessions, you can visit the 2nd floor of Sawyer from 5-10 PM.
Self-Service: Search our Knowledge Base for answers to common IT questions and issues.

Software Provided by Williams

Your Williams account gives you access to a wide range of software, applications, and resources. You don't need to install these now; your professors will let you know if they’re needed for a course.

*Application*	*What It's For*	*How to Access*
Google Workspace	Email, file storage, and collaboration tools.	Included with your Williams account. Access online at drive.google.com.
Microsoft 365	Productivity: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.	Instructions for installing Microsoft 365.
Zoom	Video conferencing for classes and meetings.	Included with your Williams account: williams.zoom.us
Panopto	Recording presentations and screencasts.	Access through Canvas (formerly GLOW) courses, under “Course Media Gallery.”
Specialized Academic Software	Tools like Endnote, Stata, MATLAB, Mathematica, Chemdraw, SPSS, etc.	Your professors will provide guidance if these are needed for a course.

Hardware Support

OIT does not repair personal devices, but our Student Technology Consultants (STCs) in Jesup Hall can help with software issues. If your computer has a hardware problem, we can recommend local repair vendors. For short-term needs, the Equipment Loan Center offers Chromebooks and laptops for multi-day checkouts.

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